Why did you buy your Tacoma?

Was originally going to get a Jeep Rubicon for my 16th birth day and start modding it. My friend had a Tacoma at the time and I loved the way it looked. After I discovered the huge following and this site, I began to fall in love with Tacomas. So, I ended up getting a Tacoma as my first car. Now I'm modding it with the money I get from freelance commissions and logo jobs. Couldn't be happier!

 

I was a Toyota 4WD fan since the early 80s. Those early pickups with the leaf spring front ends could be lifted to the sky. In Florida in the late 70s and early 80s most Toyotas were lifted higher than F150s. I was too young to own a car back then but always loved the Toyota. When they changed body styles to the Marty McFly style I still loved the truck but wasn't as fond of the front suspension as it could not be lifted as high or as easily. By the time my career took off and I could afford a Toyota 4X4 (no longer labeled as 4WD), I also was able to and did buy a new Mercedes convertible. After 3 years of that I found I wanted a truck again and bought my Taco and a Vette. The vette satisfies my top down fast car impulses and the Taco satisfies my truck desires. I drive the Taco far more than I drive the vette. I don't think I will ever sell my Taco.

 

Thought it was that dark blue (blue ribbon metallic?) at first glance. Lots of those. Black seems less common.

Other than the lifted ones, I see a guy with a speedway blue Sport driving around Hinsdale and Dalton (I work up that way and my parents live up in the woods) quite a bit with a hood cowl instead of a scoop. He looks older. If he did it, it appears to be well done...looks like it could have been factory.

 

Because my 2008 Xterra blew the engine at 95,000 and not that many 4x4 come in 6 speeds.

 

I thought I was a die-hard 1st gen Tacoma person. I get a woody when I see a nice 1st gen 4x4 regular cab, but trying to find one for sale without a zillion miles or obvious abuse is near-impossible. I looked at some on autotrader but it made me ill to think of spending hundreds of dollars and traveling 600 miles just to check out a truck and find out it's got rust holes in the frame and the interior smells like cat piss.

I test drove a really nice 1st gen V6 Tacoma and wanted to love it. As soon as I took an uphill on-ramp to merge into freeway traffic I was really disappointed that the 3.4L V6 felt nearly as gutless as my old 4 banger Ranger.

Soon as I drove a 2nd gen 4x4 4.0L 6 speed I fell in love with it. It has been 3 years since I bought my 2nd gen. I still find the 4.0L/6 speed very satisfying and I get excited to drive it every day. But I still get lusty feelings when I see a nice 1st gen. 4x4 regular cab.

 

Dad said, "IF I'm paying half, youre getting a midsize" Now Im here.
Love my taco tho, just wish it was a little bit bigger

 

That's weird, I have no problem at all holding 70 on grades with my 3.4, just kick the overdrive off and go like hell. That one probably wasn't running right or something was off. Sure they aren't as powerful as a 4.0, but for the size of the first gen, they are awesome.

 

This is my fifth one. It's just what I do.

 

I just got tired of fighting to get out of my driveway each winter. A Tacoma regular cab 4wd was the smallest, cheapest 4wd.

 

I've always loved Tacomas. I had an 02 white extended cab and loved it. But the wife talked me into selling it. Fast fwd several years to 2012.. I got rid of the wife and got myself a new Tacoma.

 

I bought mine because they discontinued the Ranger and no one else makes a regular cab manual 4wd.

 

Bought a Silverado new in 2006, put 80+k on it. It needed tires, the power steering was starting to vibrate a bit, and I knew I would have to rebuild the front end and tranny somewheres in the 100k mark. I took great care of that Silverado, changed the diffs and flushed the tranny 3 times in the times I had it. I got a decent trade-in for it at the Toyota dealer, and they had the exact Tacoma I wanted, so I became a Toyota conert.

The main reason I got the Taco is because of garage space. That Silverado is stupid-big. Even 2006 they were too big. Now the new 2014 ones are even bigger. Cause this is 'Merica and we love big trucks! The Tundra that was similarly equipped to my Tacoma was only 3 or 4 grand more, but I didn't even give it a look. Those things are also way too freaking big. Does anyone remember what pickups were like back in the 80s? They were about as big as the Tacomas and Colorados of today. That's a good size for a pickup.

Tacoma right now is the only viable mid-size pickup on the market. 4wd is a must for me, and a manual tranny is a big plus. So with all the good things I've heard about Toyotas lasting a long time, I thought I would give one a try. I've been a hardcore Chevy man my whole life..but the bailouts back in 2008-2009 changed that for me. I didn't give the new GMs a serious look, I don't think they should be in business anymore.

Biggest difference so far I'd say is the Tacoma doesn't flex nearly as much as the Silverado did. Every time I'd go over a bit of a grade or a curb or something, you could hear the doors and the roof of that Silverado extended cab flex. It was very unnerving. I've wheeled my Tacoma a few times and listened. There is no flex and no noises. And when I go thru the carwash, the roof doesn't make noises like it's going to fly off.

I'd have to say I'm pleased so far...but everything runs good when it's new. I'll have to go at least 100k on the Taco before I know if I like it for sure or not All the sneaky shortcuts and standard option deletes Toyota has been doing to the Tacoma lately has me concerned about core component quality and longevity.

 

It's in my blood. Dad had a '84 cab with over 350K miles when he sold it to get a '04 Tundra. I had a'92 x-cab 4x4, then '03 dbl cab 4x4, then wanted to go a tad bigger with my current '05 dbl cab 4x4. All have been reliable and great to own.

 

I think it was fine. It only had 70,000 miles and well-documented maintenance. I wondered if something was wrong with it so I drove my sister's 3.4L 4runner and it was the same. I guess I expected a big performance difference over an I4 to justify paying $17K for a used Tacoma. When I drove a 2nd gen I got the performance difference I was looking for. And where I live there's virtually no price difference between a used 1st or 2nd gen Tacoma if its a 4x4 V6 in good condition with low miles. I still like the look of 1st gens better, tho....

 

We needed a vehicle that supports our outdoor life. Previously, I drove an 01 Silverado extended cab and a 12 F150 super crew. I still have the Chevy - my son drives it - and I traded the big comfy ford for my DCLB (which technically is a standard bed) because if I bought the dcsb, I would not be able to haul my mountain bikes. Why the toyota? capability, size, reputation, resale, and plain ol' gratification. My toyota will log many miles taking us to dive sites, and trailheads.

 

Looking to stay above water

 

where do you live at? Is street flooding like that common?

I've been through 3 major floods in my life time. Twice our garage had 9 feet of water in it, and 7 feet of water in the basement of the house.

Not a fun time.

 

No argument there, they are awesome looking trucks. I am probably going to supercharge mine in the next year or so just to give it a little more oomph when I need it.

 

I wanted a mid size truck.
The big trucks that keep getting larger just would not fit in the garage.

 

I wanted one for a long time, promised myself it would be my next vehicle after finishing school and here I am.

Love the amenities in the new f150 but it felt cumbersome and wide, love the power of the Silverado but absolutely 0 confidence in its ability to hold together past 200k

My Tacoma may not be the prettiest or the fastest to others, but it will always get me home and I am the beholder